From: Leonard Lawrence
To: mayor@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Cc: lmaio@ci.berkeley.ca.us ;
dmoore@ci.berkeley.ca.us ;
manderson@ci.berkeley.ca.us ;
spring@ci.berkeley.ca.us ;
lcapitelli@ci.berkeley.ca.us ;
olds@ci.berkeley.ca.us ;
kworthington@ci.berkeley.ca.us ;
GWozniak@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2008 1:08 AM
Subject: Marines as "unwelcomed Intruders"
Ladies and Gentleman of Berkley:
I read with great dissappointment recent news that the city has decided that the Marine Corps Recruiting station is an "unwelcomed intruder" in the city.
In 1775 in a small tavern in Philadelphia a group of adventurous young men formed a band of brothers called the Continental Marines. Since that time the Marine Corps has served as a beacon in society extolling some of the best virtues of our youth and instilling responsibility, respect and maturity in our elders. As such they have become targets of those on the fringe and in this case a multitude of the population in Berkeley.
I watch with great sadness as the lawlessness of the town is exposed. Police refuse to end the harassment and protests that border on criminal in regard to the recruiting station there. The lawlessness has extended to acts of vandalism and disruption of business. Yet, the City Refuses to act. The city refuses to take a stand to defend members of it's citizentry against the tyranny of it's own citizens, and has gone so far as to encourage it by legislative decision.
Since that November day in 1775, the Marine Corps has been a force in readiness prepared to defend the rights of individuals and protect the weak. Apparently the city does not feel the need to acknowledge that honor. Countless individuals from across this land, over the past 232 years, have spent their lives on foriegn soil in an effort to keep the rights of the citizens in Berkeley free to express their views. Individuals with honor, courage and commitment who will remain nameless so as not to sully their names in this city, worked to provide the freedoms the City of Berekely enjoys.
It is with a heavy heart that I ask you to look inside yourselves and see if there is any honor in it. The Marines in this city are attempting to pass on the values that this country has held dear from it's inception and as a result are not being afforded the same protections. It is negligent, in my opinion, for the City to not only ignore the issues and facts, but encourage the explusion of a positive influence in society.
I challenge you to look inside yourself and find the courage to do your jobs. If you look at the situation objectively I think you will find that the Marine Recruiting Center is a positive force in your society and is entitled to the same freedoms that you enjoy. These same freedoms that have in part been purchased in Marine's blood. To do anything less would be to expose the moral bankruptcy of Berkeley and target groups in the City that do not agree with the mainstream. In short, this would be both dishonorable and illegal.
I wish you the best in your review of this situation and am sure that you will find the only proper solution would be an inclusion of the Leathernecks in your city. I certainly welcome any response you may have.
Semper Fidelis,
Leonard Lawrence